---
title: "Google Veo 3.1 | Ethical Stack"
url: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/
catalog_version: f6baff2119d0e9158520da7fbe4232011dac79f25bd08757436d7a1dbd593db2
---

# Google Veo 3.1

Google’s cloud video generation and editing model family, with text/image-to-video, audio and editing controls.

Canonical profile: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/

Scope: Google Veo 3.1: cloud access. Available through Gemini, Flow and developer routes; plan and per-generation pricing vary by route. Ratings describe the stated product, company or configuration in each finding.

Published overall: 3; 6/6 dimensions rated.

Round the equal-weight mean of available numerical ratings to one decimal; require at least four of six for an overall score. BDS status stays outside the mean; for eligible profiles, a boycott target caps the final score at 2/10 and a pressure target subtracts one point (minimum 1). Not listed and not checked do not adjust the score.

Pressure target: −1 overall point.

## Energy practices

Finding: 6/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#energy

Google provides company-wide data-center energy and clean-energy metrics. Flow lets users select Veo tiers and video duration/features, but publishes no Veo-specific footprint.

Reason: 1 + 2 reporting + 1 electricity + 2 controls = 6/10. This grade covers documented practices and transparency; it does not measure the energy or emissions of a request.

Argument: Google provides company-wide data-center energy and clean-energy metrics. Flow lets users select Veo tiers and video duration/features, but publishes no Veo-specific footprint. The score describes documented measurement transparency and available controls, not environmental performance.

Type: conditional; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): First-party Veo 3.1 generation in Google Flow; excludes downstream API and customer-selected deployments.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-24; evidence date: 2026-10-24

Unknowns: Company-wide electricity and carbon-free-energy figures are not attributed to Veo 3.1, a region, or a single video. Credits track billing, not energy; the reported 66% clean-energy share is partial and not a product-level guarantee.

```json
{
  "method": "practices-transparency-v1",
  "scope": "First-party Veo 3.1 generation in Google Flow; excludes downstream API and customer-selected deployments.",
  "components": {
    "disclosure": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Google’s 2025 Environmental Report publishes dated company data-center energy, emissions, and clean-energy metrics with stated scope and methodology. It is not allocated to Veo, so D2 is the cap.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://blog.google/company-news/outreach-and-initiatives/sustainability/environmental-report-2025/"
      ]
    },
    "electricity": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "Google reports a 66% company-wide carbon-free-energy share in 2024 on an hourly basis. It is partial corporate evidence without Veo region/site allocation or independent verification, so it earns E1 only.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://blog.google/company-news/outreach-and-initiatives/sustainability/environmental-report-2025/"
      ]
    },
    "demand": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Flow documents Lite/Fast/Quality model selection, 4/6/8-second clip durations, supported feature selection, resolution options, and the ability for one request to generate two videos. These controls bound output/request shape, but physical savings are unmeasured.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://support.google.com/flow/answer/16352836",
        "https://support.google.com/flow/answer/16526234"
      ]
    }
  },
  "actualImpactMeasured": false,
  "meaning": "Documented environmental practices and transparency. Zero component points mean a reviewed evidence gap."
}
```

- [Google 2025 Environmental Report](https://blog.google/company-news/outreach-and-initiatives/sustainability/environmental-report-2025/) (official company report; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Learn about Google Flow models & supported features](https://support.google.com/flow/answer/16352836) (official product documentation; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Manage your Google Flow credits](https://support.google.com/flow/answer/16526234) (official product documentation; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Veo 3.1](https://deepmind.google/models/veo/) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Training data

Finding: 3/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#training-rights

Google’s Veo card says the model used audio, video and image data with captions and safety, compliance, quality and deduplication filtering. It does not name datasets, licenses or creator controls.

Reason: 1 + 1 source transparency + 1 permission + 0 creator controls = 3/10. This grades documented training-data safeguards, not a legal ruling.

Argument: The public card gives modality and processing details but no source list or permissions evidence for the assessed base. Google’s general data-governance statement is contextual policy, not a release-level license audit.

Type: argument; confidence: low

Scope (dimension): Google Veo 3 family as a proxy for the named Veo 3.1 product route; Veo 3.1 Lite explicitly inherits Veo 3, while the consumer product may route variants.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-24; evidence date: 2026-01-13

Unknowns: Exact Veo 3.1 consumer route, training-source identities, source-level permissions and rights-holder controls are not disclosed.

```json
{
  "method": "training-rights-evidence-v1",
  "scope": "Google Veo 3 family as a proxy for the named Veo 3.1 product route; Veo 3.1 Lite explicitly inherits Veo 3, while the consumer product may route variants.",
  "components": {
    "provenance": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "The card names modalities, captioning and filtering but not source datasets.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/Model-Cards/Veo-3-Model-Card.pdf"
      ]
    },
    "permissions": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "Google states a general process for reviewing sources and licenses, but Veo-specific permissions remain unitemized.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://deepmind.google/public-policy/ai-summit-policies/",
        "https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/Model-Cards/Veo-3-Model-Card.pdf"
      ]
    },
    "creatorControls": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No training-source exclusion or removal process is established by the reviewed model disclosures.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/Model-Cards/Veo-3-Model-Card.pdf"
      ]
    }
  },
  "routeDependency": null,
  "modelReference": null,
  "meaning": "Documented training-data rights safeguards. Low points may reflect missing evidence; they do not establish infringement."
}
```

- [Veo 3 Model Card](https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/Model-Cards/Veo-3-Model-Card.pdf) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Veo 3.1 Lite Model Card](https://deepmind.google/models/model-cards/veo-3-1-lite/) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Google DeepMind data input controls and audit](https://deepmind.google/public-policy/ai-summit-policies/) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Your data & privacy

Finding: 3/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#privacy

For Veo accessed through consumer Gemini Apps, prompts and shared media can be saved with Keep Activity on, used to improve/train Google services, and some reviewed data retained for up to three years. Turning activity off avoids model-improvement use for future chats absent feedback, though chats remain for 72 hours.

Reason: The consumer route permits broad activity reuse by default but publishes controls that reduce it. This score applies only to Gemini Apps consumer use; Google Flow, API, and enterprise routes have separate terms and are not rated here.

Argument: The consumer route permits broad activity reuse by default but publishes controls that reduce it. This score applies only to Gemini Apps consumer use; Google Flow, API, and enterprise routes have separate terms and are not rated here.

Type: conditional; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Selected configuration

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: 2026-09-24

Unknowns: The consumer route permits broad activity reuse by default but publishes controls that reduce it. This score applies only to Gemini Apps consumer use; Google Flow, API, and enterprise routes have separate terms and are not rated here.

- [Gemini Apps Privacy Hub](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/13594961) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Learn about Google Flow models & supported features](https://support.google.com/flow/answer/16352836?hl=en-1) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Openness

Finding: 2/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#openness

Veo is a hosted Google service; model weights and full training pipeline are not publicly released in the reviewed product materials.

Reason: This rating describes access to the model itself. Developer APIs provide an interface but do not make the underlying weights inspectable or movable.

Argument: This rating describes access to the model itself. Developer APIs provide an interface but do not make the underlying weights inspectable or movable.

Type: evidence; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Product

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This rating describes access to the model itself. Developer APIs provide an interface but do not make the underlying weights inspectable or movable.

- [Veo 3.1](https://deepmind.google/models/veo/) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Worker protections

Finding: 7/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#labour

Google has a supplier-responsibility system with worker surveys, third-party audits and grievance access, alongside current worker reports describing pay, pace and support concerns among AI raters.

Reason: 1 + 2 pay & conditions + 2 worker voice & remedy + 2 evidence & follow-through = 7/10. This grades documented worker safeguards, not a measured rate of mistreatment.

Argument: Google says its Supplier Code applies to supplier and staffing-partner work, extended workers can report concerns anonymously through Google’s helpline, and its 2026 FY2025 report describes supplier audits and worker surveys with follow-up. Separately, Alphabet Workers Union-CWA’s 2025 report and raters’ pay-parity letter describe low pay, benefits gaps, insecure contracts and inadequate task-time; The Guardian documented raters’ accounts of rapid task timing, distressing moderation work and limited mental-health support, while Google says suppliers employ these workers and set their employment terms. The company system merits credit, but findings from hardware/supplier programs do not prove every AI rater is covered or remedied.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Google's workforce and disclosed contractors. Coverage of individual product teams may be incomplete.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-24; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The FY2025 supplier program is risk-prioritized and does not disclose whether its survey/audit cohort included GlobalLogic AI raters; Google’s own policy places wage/benefit setting with suppliers. Worker reports are specific but are not an adjudicated finding about every supplier or rater.

```json
{
  "method": "worker-safeguards-evidence-v1",
  "entity": "google",
  "company": "Google",
  "scope": "Google's workforce and disclosed contractors. Coverage of individual product teams may be incomplete.",
  "components": {
    "conditions": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Supplier standards and vetting apply to extended workforce and current AI-rater testimony documents concrete working conditions, but rates, coverage and implementation vary by supplier and some worker evidence is self-reported.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://sustainability.google/files/google-2026-supplier-responsibility-report.pdf",
        "https://about.google/company-info/extended-workforce/",
        "https://about.google/company-info/supplier-code-of-conduct/",
        "https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/campaigns/globallogic-pay-parity",
        "https://cwa-union.org/ghost-workers-ai-machine",
        "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/11/google-gemini-ai-training-humans"
      ]
    },
    "voice": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Extended workers have access to Google’s anonymous helpline and supplier feedback channels; union organizing and direct worker reports document voice, though they also describe limited influence over conditions.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://about.google/company-info/extended-workforce/",
        "https://sustainability.google/files/google-2026-supplier-responsibility-report.pdf",
        "https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/campaigns/globallogic-pay-parity",
        "https://cwa-union.org/ghost-workers-ai-machine"
      ]
    },
    "assurance": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Google reports third-party supplier audits, worker surveys, follow-ups and program improvements; these are company-reported and the published figures do not establish coverage of AI annotation contractors specifically.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://sustainability.google/files/google-2026-supplier-responsibility-report.pdf",
        "https://about.google/company-info/extended-workforce/"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": false,
  "meaning": "This grades documented worker safeguards, not a measured rate of mistreatment."
}
```

- [2026 Supplier Responsibility Report (FY2025)](https://sustainability.google/files/google-2026-supplier-responsibility-report.pdf) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [About Google’s extended workforce](https://about.google/company-info/extended-workforce/) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Google Supplier Code of Conduct](https://about.google/company-info/supplier-code-of-conduct/) (primary; checked 2026-10-23)

- [GlobalLogic Pay Parity Letter](https://www.alphabetworkersunion.org/campaigns/globallogic-pay-parity) (independent; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Ghost Workers in the AI Machine: U.S. Data Workers Speak Out About Big Tech’s Exploitation](https://cwa-union.org/ghost-workers-ai-machine) (independent; checked 2026-10-24)

- [How thousands of overworked, underpaid humans train Google’s AI to seem smart](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/11/google-gemini-ai-training-humans) (independent; checked 2026-10-24)

## Military ties

Finding: 3/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#military-contracts

Google has a current DoD AI/cloud contract and has demonstrated military training/exercise support, but the reviewed evidence does not establish combat targeting or strike-intelligence deployment.

Reason: 1 + 0 use restrictions + 1 enforcement & oversight + 2 relationship disclosure = 4, capped at 3/10. Known defense ties lower this rating; safeguards can improve it within the relationship’s cap.

Argument: Google Public Sector describes a $200 million ceiling DoD CDAO contract and access to AI/cloud capabilities, including classified environments. Its Mobility Guardian 2025 account describes an Air Force exercise/edge workflow processing air-defense data and generating insights for counter-UAS triggers; this is exercise and support evidence, not proof that Google AI selected targets or supplied combat intelligence in an actual operation. Google’s current AI Principles include human oversight and safety commitments but no categorical military-use prohibition. The broad DoD contract leaves substantial enablement potential, so classify as broad-defense and apply the cap; do not call the exercise direct combat use.

Type: argument; confidence: high

Scope (dimension): Google's relationships and safeguards. A company relationship does not identify every product or release used.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-24; evidence date: 2026-10-20

Unknowns: Public sources do not disclose all task orders, operational use outcomes, customer-enforceable use restrictions, or independent oversight. The specific models and releases used in every defense workflow are not established.

```json
{
  "method": "military-ties-priority-v2",
  "entity": "google",
  "company": "Google",
  "scope": "Google's relationships and safeguards. A company relationship does not identify every product or release used.",
  "components": {
    "restrictions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The current AI Principles reviewed do not establish a binding weapons or harmful-surveillance prohibition for defense contracts; the older 2018 weaponization commitment is not current evidence.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://ai.google/principles/",
        "https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/products/ai-principles/"
      ]
    },
    "oversight": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "Google’s public AI Principles describe human oversight and safety practices but do not disclose military-specific independent review, enforcement, or remedies.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://ai.google/principles/",
        "https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/products/ai-principles/"
      ]
    },
    "transparency": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Google names the CDAO contract, its ceiling and the Mobility Guardian exercise workflow; the named public materials disclose no actual combat mission or current contract-level safeguards.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/public-sector/google-public-sector-awarded-200-million-contract-to-accelerate-ai-and-cloud-capabilities-across-department-of-defenses-chief-digital-and-artificial-intelligence-office-cdao",
        "https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/public-sector/google-distributed-cloud-at-the-edge-powers-us-air-force-mobility-guardian-2025"
      ]
    }
  },
  "relationship": "broad-defense",
  "relationshipReason": "Google documents a broad DoD AI/cloud contract and military exercise support, but no confirmed operational use for target selection, strikes, or combat intelligence. Broad-defense cap applies.",
  "score": 3,
  "baseScore": 1,
  "safeguardPoints": 3,
  "safeguardAdjustment": 3,
  "rawScore": 4,
  "cap": 3,
  "disclosureLimited": true,
  "meaning": "Known military relationships take priority over missing safeguards. The rating does not establish the probability of an undisclosed contract."
}
```

- [Google Public Sector awarded $200 million contract to accelerate AI and cloud capabilities across DoD CDAO](https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/public-sector/google-public-sector-awarded-200-million-contract-to-accelerate-ai-and-cloud-capabilities-across-department-of-defenses-chief-digital-and-artificial-intelligence-office-cdao) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Google Distributed Cloud at the edge powers U.S. Air Force Mobility Guardian 2025](https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/public-sector/google-distributed-cloud-at-the-edge-powers-us-air-force-mobility-guardian-2025) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [AI Principles](https://ai.google/principles/) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [AI at Google: our principles (updated February 2025)](https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/products/ai-principles/) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## BDS targets

Finding: Pressure target

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/google-veo/#israel-palestine

Google is named as a pressure target in the BNC campaign sources.

Reason: Google is named by the BNC as a pressure target. BDS campaign sources state their own position; this classification does not assess the product or independently adjudicate the underlying claims.

Argument: Google is named by the BNC as a pressure target. BDS campaign sources state their own position; this classification does not assess the product or independently adjudicate the underlying claims.

Type: conditional; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Company record

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Google is named by the BNC as a pressure target. BDS campaign sources state their own position; this classification does not assess the product or independently adjudicate the underlying claims.

- [Guide to BDS Boycott & Pressure Corporate Priority Targeting](https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [No Tech for Oppression, Apartheid or Genocide](https://bdsmovement.net/no-tech-oppression-apartheid-or-genocide) (primary; checked not recorded)

## Reading the evidence

- Assessments are provisional editorial judgments. Cite the profile and the underlying sources, and retain confidence, scope and unknowns.

- Unknown, not-applicable and model-dependent are different states. Missing evidence does not establish good or bad conduct.

- Company-level evidence does not establish use of a particular product or model. Account plan, model, host and route can change an assessment.

- Energy scores describe documented practices and transparency, not measured request emissions. Zero component points can mean an evidence gap.

- Published overall scores require at least four of six numerical dimensions. Preserve coverage and BDS adjustments; BDS itself is categorical.

- No named BDS target found is limited to the reviewed campaign sources and is not approval. Personalized priorities do not change the published overall score.

- Review and source-check dates describe the research, not this deployment. Fetch current primary sources when the decision requires current verification.

Methodology: https://ethicalstack.ai/methodology/